Small-arm



E. A.*L. BOURDELLES..

SMALL ARM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, i917.A

Patented Feb. L 1921. v

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Il'. :a

E. A. L. BouRnELLEs.

SMALL ARM.

l APPLICATION FILED JuLY 30.1911. 1,867,453. Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor.

E. A. L. OURDELLES.

SMALL ARM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30 1917.

Patented Feb. 1,1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. A. L. BOURDELLES. SMALL ARM.

APPLICATIDN` FILED JULY 30. 1917. .Y 1,367,453. Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

f APPLICATION FILED JULY 30. |911. 1,367,453.

E. A. L'. BoURnELLEs.

` SMALL ARM.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

l A L@ Pm 'Patented Feb. 1,1921.

Patented Feb.'1,1921.

s SHEETS-sneer 6.

E. A. L. BOURDELLES.

SMALL ARM; APPLlcATloNTlLED JULY so. 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

SOCIETE ANONYME DES ETABLISSEMENTS sT.-DENIS,

FRANCE, A CORPORATION OF FRANCE.

DELAUNAY BELLEVILLE, 'or' SMALL-ARH.

Specilcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1. 1921- Application lcd Julyl 30, 1917. Serial No. 188,818.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EMILE ALEXANDRE LOUIS BoURDELLns engineer, of 1 Rue de lErmitage, at St.- enis, Department of the Seine, France, citizen of the vFrench Republic, have invented certain new and useful Improvemenets in or Relating to Small-Arms; and I do hereby .declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use. the same.

The present invention has for its object im-V provements made in automatic arms of the kind in which the reloading is automatically effected by means of a mechanism actuated by a piston operated by the force of expansion of the gases in the barrel.

Thev invention is likewise applicable to non-automatic rifles now in use for the purpose of converting them into automatic rifles.

In this invention and contrary to the weapons already constructed the gases in the barrel, instead of acting directly to open the movable breech, keep it closed until the moment in vwhich a system of springs compressed by the force of the gases and bearing against the movable breech counterbalance the force resulting from the friction ofthe lugs of the movable head against their supports. The action of the gases is exerted therefore indirectly only n the movable breech. It cannot therefore cause any sudden opening bringing about the breakdown or deterioration of the parts of the weapon and it avoids premature opening or stripping of the cartridge in the case of excess of pressure which nearly always inevitably happens in weapons operated by the aid of gas and direct action. The expansion of the springs produces, furthermore, the extraction of t e' empty cartridge case, introduction of a cartridge into the barrel and the cocking of the hammerwhich produces the firing of the shot.

I will describe with reference to the accompanying drawings a construction in accordance with the present invention but I do not limit myself to the precise construction described land illustrated.

rifie showing the extreme Flgure 1 is an elevation partly in section of an automatic riiie in accordance with the present invention.

1g. 2 is a vertical section of the rear p0rtlon of the rifle, showing the details of the mechanism of the springs.

ljlg. 3 1s a plan view showing the articulation of the systems controlling the movable breech and the firing mechanism respectlvely.

, Figs. 4-and 5 are'respectively views drawn' to an enlarged scale of the mechanism for operating the movable breech, both figures eing shown partly in section. Figs. '6 and 7 are elevations partly in section of the system for operating the tiring mechanism, these figures being also drawn to an enlarged scale.

1g. 8 is a view partly in section of the movable breechand of the head of the breech 'showlng the workingof the extractor.

1g. 9 is a transverse section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 shows the position occupied by the movable breech and the head of the breech after the breech has moved into firing position.

Fig.,11 is a vertical section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1o.

Fig. l2 shows head of the breech in the position which they occupyl after the rearward movement and shows `the working of the extractor.

Fig. 13 shows in vertical section a constructional form of the system for operating the movable breech applicable to an ordinary rifie for th purpose of converting it into an automatic rifle.

Fig."14 is a horizontal position of the pist0n after vthe action of the gases.

. Fig. 15 shows the position occupied by the parts shown in Fig. 14, after the rear ward movement has been effected and the piston has returned practically to its normal position. Y

Fig. 16 shows in a vertical section a modifcatlon of the elevator mechanism.

Fig. 17 is a vertical section of another' modification.

the movablebreech and thev section ofthe same drive 'it back thus actuating the mechanism tiring movable breech and the for operating the mechanism which will be hereinafter described. The rod 6 is connected at one end to a socket 7 (see Fig. 2) and by a pivot 8 to a lever 9 connected at 10 to the butt of the riiie. An intermediate lever 11, con' nected at- 13 to a bearing plate 12, has a roller' which constantly ybears against thelever 9. The end 15 of the intermediate lever 11 is connected to a rod 16, which is connected atm 17 to a slide mounted on a guide forming part of the magazine trigger guard. The sllde 18 is kept in its normal position by means of a spring 21 acting against a shoulder 20 von a rod 19 permanently connecte'd to the Slide. The slide 18 serves as a fulcrum for two telescopic connecting rods one comprising a' socket 22 carrying a pawl 23 pivoted at 24 and the function of. which is hereinafter fully described. A rod 25 entering the socket 22 actuates the mechanism which operates the movable breech. The Aother telescopic connecting rod 26, pivoted at 27l to the slide 18, Fig. 3, also actuates the mechanism which operates the firing mechanism. 'The rod 25 is constantly forced back by a spring 29 which bears at one end against a shoulder 28 on lthis rod and at the other end against the socket 22. The end iof the rod 25' is also plvoted at 32, Figs. 2 and 4, to a lever 30 rockable on a shaft 31 and connected at its free end 33 to a small connecting rod 34 pivoted at`35 to the movable breech 36 operating the movable head 37. Therod 25 is also provided with a notch or-recess 38 to receive a catch carried by thel pawl 23.

The working of the mechanism which operates the movable breech is as follows When the shot is fired the piston 3 in consequence ofthe pressure ofthe gases of dis charge is violently forced toward the right which causes the "movement of the lever 9 and by means of the roller 14, the movement of the rod 16 and of the slide 18 pawl 23 is against the action of the spring 21 which is thus compressed. The spring 29 is likewise compressed" and the catch carried by the brought opposite the notch or re cess 38 inthe rod 25 with the result that this rod is forced into the position shown in Fig. 4. As soon as the pressure of the gases on the piston 3 decreases the spring 21 acts to open the movable breech, to effect the withdrawal of the movable head and the e'ection of the cartridge case. When the side 18 is in the position shown in Fig. 5 that is to say when the rearward is effected a projection 39 on the pawl 23 strikes against `a stop 40 which causes the pawl to tilt the catch out of engagement with the notch or recess 38 in the rod 25 and thus frees this latter. The spring 29 then acts to produce the return of the movable breech, the introduction of a fresh cartridg'xe, and the closing of the movable breech, t e slide 18 continues to be brought back by the vaction of the spring 21 to the position shown movementl in Fig. 2. The mechanism for actuating the firing mechanism works at the same time as the mechanism which operates the movable breech. This mechamsm comprises a socket 41- fixed by a pin 45 to the hammer 46 which of the slide for the operation of the hammer.v 49 intO The hammer is provided with a sto which engages a stop or catch 48 t tion of which is to keep the hammer cocked when the slide is at t e end of its stroke. The mechanism for operating the ring mechanism works in a -similar manner to the e funcmechanism of the movable breech, that is to mgment of the discharge of the bullet, owing to the pressureexerted on the piston 3 by the gases, the spring 42 is compressed. As soon as the pressure ofthe gases diminishes, the slide moves back owing to the action of the spring 21 until the moment in which the springis completely expanded. During the expansion of spring 21, the slide when it. operates to pull .back the mechanism of the movable breech by engaging pawl 23, has also pulled connecting rod 26 o socket 41 in the direction of movement of the slide. Goncurrently therewith the `hammer is retracted by being engaged by the back of the movable breech, the spring 42 Vbeing compressed by the time the stop 48 meets the catch 49. At this moment the pawl 23, engaging the stop 40, is released, allowing the compression spring 29-to return the movable breech, but the hammer remains cocked and the rifie ready .to be fired. Upon the release of the stop 48, when the iece is fired, the spring 42, whlch is thenl un er compression, will project the hammer and fire the piece.

The firing mechanism comprises, as usual, a hammer 50 which strikes against the head of the firing pin 51 inclosed in the head of the movable breech. The movable head 37 when theslide is brought forward at the cannot rise owing to has a screw and nut locking as is well known. The screw forms the-movable head and. it carries an extractor specially designed to prevent misses.

This extractor is represented in Figs. 8, 9, 10, l1 and 12. In these figures 36 represents .the movable breech and 37 the movable head. The extractor is shown at 52, it c omprises a catch 53 adapted to enter a recess 54 made in the movable head, a lip 55 covers over this recess for a certain part of the periphery of the movable head 37. The extractor comprises also toward its right hand end, a hook 56 which-is arranged in the position shown in Fig. 8 in a gap 57 in the movable head. YThe cartridge is shown at 58. The working of the mechanism is as follows: In the position shownin Figs. 8 and 9, the closure of the movable head has not yet taken place, the hook 56 ,of the extractor meets the rim 59 of the cartridge case, but the extractor the engagement of its catch 53 with the lip 55 of the movable head.

Figs. 10 and 11 showthe position occupied by the different parts above mentioned when the movable breech has advanced the amount necessary to produce the locking of the movable head; the lugs on this latter engage in the shoe of the breech by causing it to make a quarter of a revolution and the extractor is shot forward by a heel 60 carried by the movable breech striking against the tail of the extractor. At 'this moment, the movable head having accomplished a fraction of a revolution,'the lip 55 moves out of the way, the catch 53 of the extractor is liberated and the extractor on its entirety can rise, its hook 56 riding up over the rim of the cartridge case. The rifle is ready to fire. It is pointed out that when the catch 53 is alined with the recess 54 by the partial rotation of the head, the hook 56 is free to rise so as to pass over the rim of the cartridge and to move into a position such as shown in Fig. 10. When the head and breech start the extracting movement the initial. rotation of the head again locks the catch so that the hook 56 will remain in engagement with the cartridge case.

After firing the unlocking is obtained by the rearward movement of the 'movable breech; the position is then as shown in F ig. 12, the lip 55' covers over the catch 53, the hook of the'extractor 57 consequently withdrawing the cartridge case.

All the forceof the rearward movement of the movable breech therefore acts upon the catch of the extractor. This latter being of great thickness between the hook and the catch cannot bend, rise or ride over the rim of the cartridge case whatever be the resistance `encountered for 1ts extractlon;

furthermore this action upon the cartridge case 1s made at a high speed and very suddenly which facilitates loosening.

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 show b way o f example, the conversion of an or inary rllie into an automatic rifle by means of a system of' vrifie. A piston 64 works inside this c linder and operates a rod 65 the end of W ich is screw threaded and is connected to another' rod 66 passing through a bearing 67 connected'to the movable breechy as will be dcscribed in what follows:

The rod 66 ends in a shoulder 68, against which bears a spring 69, the other end of which bears against the lining of the cylinder 62 and the function of which is to keep the piston 64 at the bottom of its ward the left. A second spring 70. bears on the one hand against the bearing 67 and on `the other hand,'aga'inst a. shoulder on `a nut 71 screwed to the end ofthe rod 66. The bearingV 67 is rigidly attached to a socket 72 (see Flg. 14) which slides upon a guide rod 73 permanentl kept on the stock by the upper band 74. he socket 72 is connected itself to the'movable breech 36. -The bearing 67 is made in the form of a sleeve inside which is seated a pawl 76 pivoted by an axle 77 Ato the bearing and constantly drawn backby a spring 78 1n such a way that'it tends to engage by a lug 79 in a recess 80 in the'rod 66.

stroke to This pawl is likewise provided with a heel 81 which comes 1n contact, when the pawl is toward the extreme left with respect to the guide rod 73, with a cam portion82 of this rod which produces the unhooking of the nose of the pawl. 1 The working of the mechanism is Vlas folows:

At the momentl of firing the shot, the gases act through the port 63 upon the piston .64 which they drive back toward the extreme right, the springs 69l and 70 are compressed and the 'nose 79 of the pawl 76 enters into the recess 8O in the rod`66; -we thus have the position of Fig-14. 1 As soon as the pressure ofthegases in the cylinder 62 diminishes, theV actlonv of the spring 69 produces the movement ofthe rods 65 and 66 and by means of the pawl 76 of the bearing 67, the-socket 72 and the collar 75, the movement of the movable cylinder thus bringing about the unlocking of the breech, the extraction ofthe cartridge case and the cooking of the firing mechanism. The heel 81 of thep'awl comes, when the movable cylinder is at the end of its stroke, in contact with the cam portion 82 of the guide rod 73,`the` pawl rocks upon its pivot so as to unhook the rod 66, the spring 70 expands, but as the rod 66 and the belonging to in the elevator,

`bearin 67, the socket 72 and by means of the col ar 75, the movable breech, thus producing the closing of the movable head and the introduction of a fresh cartridge.

The conversion comprises therefore:

1-The replacement of the movable breech entirely by another movable breech having a movable screw head, a cylindrical nut provided with a dismountable firing pin.

2--The re lacement of the trigger and the sear by anot er system of trigger and a trip sear.

3--The addition of a protective liner at the rear of the shoe of the breech.

4-The modification of the present upper band consisting in connecting a guide rod to theleft hand side.

5-The addition of the mechanism worked by gas in the stock.

According to the modifications shown in Figs. 16 and in such a way that the axis' of each successive cartridge will gradually aline with the axis of the breech as said cartridges reach the breech. The mechanism com rises an upper plate provided with two )oints or pivots one of which is connected to a fixed point, by means of a small connectinrod, the other pivot, placed lower down, eing connected to an axle by means of an elevator, and capable of slight lateral movements either as the result of a recess or slot of ovoid or other particular shape of the notch which serves as the pivot point, or byV its connection with a lever. The elevator serves at the same time as a motor element of the system, owing to the action of a spring bearing against the magazine trigger guard and constantly forcing it back in a fixed direction.

Referring to 4Fig. 16 of the drawing it is' supposed t t the modified elevator is represented at the moment when the last cartridge denoted by83 is left in the rifle. This cartridge is supported by the late 84 pivoted to the axles 85 and 86. connected by a rod 87'and an axle 88 to the magazine trigger guard so that the axle 85 can describe -a circular path. The axle 86 is connected to the elevator 89 which serves as a motor elemlent of the systm, an axle 9g t e magazine ri r ar to slide in an ovoienotgcllli 91 so as to permit of slight lateral movements thus assuring convergence of the dierent positions occupied by the upper plate 84. The elevator 89 is provided with a lug or nose 92 which bears on a head 93 a inst the action of a helical spring 94 bearing against the magazine trigger guard. The magazine or loader 95 containing the cartridges is of known form, and is rovided with symmetrical projections 96 an 97 permitting the hook 98 to hold it in place or releas it at will.

being adapted nections between 17 the cartridges. are elevated Fig. 17 represents a modification of the mechanism hereinbefore described in which the connectin rod 87 is provided with a s ring 99 tening to force back constantly t e upper plate 84 into the position whic the elevator allows it to take up. The ovoid notch of this elevator is done away with, the pin 90 being pivoted by means of a link 100 to the magazine trigger guard and .it bearsagainst a piston 101 constantly forced back b a s ring 102 placed in the stockof the ri e. in the recedingconstruction the pin 90 may move aterally in the guiding path referred to as notch 91.

I claim: l

1. In an automatic fire arm, a movable breech, a firing hammer, a slide, spring conthe slide and the movable breech and between the slide and ring hammer, a cushioning return sprin for the slide, means operable y the gases o discharge to compress the' springs, and means whereby the breech and hammer will be retracted upon the subsequent'expansion of said return springf y y 2. n 'an 'automatic firearm, a movable breech," a tiring hammer, a slide, spring connections between the slide and the movable breech and between the slide and ring hammer, `a,cushioning return spring for the slide, means operable y the gases o discharge to compress the springs, means whereby the breech andhammer will be retracted upon the subseruent ex ansion of the return spring, an means or automatically relaasing said second mentioned means, whereb one of said springs will project said breech forwardly. f

3. In an automatic firearm, a movable breech, a firing hammer, a slide, telescopic rods connecting the slide with the hammer and with the movable breech, and resilient means for extending the elements of said telescopic rods Afor returning said breechA and 4.

a movable ioo under compression by the movement of the slide, means connected to the slide for moving the same under the action of the dis charge of the gases, and means for opposing such movement of the slide.

5. In an automatic firearm, a movable breech, a firing hammer, a slide, spring con nections between the slide and the movable breech and between the slide and the firing hammer, a cushioning return spring for the slide, means operable bfy the gases of dischar to compress all o said springs, means for ockmg said breech spring in itscompressed position, whereby the breech will be In testimon whereof I afx my signature,

retracted npon the subsequent expansion of in presence o two witnesses. said return spring, sald breech adapted to simultaneously engage and retreat the firing EMILE ALEXANDRE mms BOURDELLES 5 hammer and compress the rmg hammer Wltnesses:

spring, and means for lock-lng sa1d hammer CHAs. P. PREssLY,

in its retracted position. ALEXANDRE BERTHoLm 

